Hydrophobic films and coatings, and more particularly, superhydrophobic films and coatings have garnered considerable attention in recent years due to a number of attractive qualities. Highly hydrophobic surfaces have been recognized in nature, perhaps most prevalently on lotus leaves and also on cicada wings. Because of its hydrophobic properties, the lotus leaf is capable of self-cleaning by the washing away of dust particles and debris as water droplets roll off its surface. This ability to self-clean is desirable in a number of modern-day applications. In part, hydrophobicity may be tied to the surface structure of a given film, where small and thin nanoposts or nanocavities with high aspect ratios, or thin “whisker-like” structures or cavities may dramatically increase hydrophobicity. However, it is difficult to produce films that have nanoposts or nanocavities with very high aspect ratios in a number of different materials. The current description provides for such films as well as method of producing such films.